A photo puppet is a poseable, full-body version of a Muppet created specifically for photographs, displays, and various other scenarios in which actual puppets are either inappropriate or unnecessary.

Photo puppets are not Muppet-style puppets in the traditional sense, as they can be posed but not operated from within. They are sometimes known as posers or poser puppets. Prominent uses of photo puppets include calendars, print advertisements, video covers, and Muppet Magazine photos.

Most photo puppets are versions of existing characters, though occasionally new creations were made for Muppet Magazine. These are generally adapted using style guides and based upon the actual puppet. Certain photo projects require a larger cast of "extras," however, including magazine covers and the Muppet Babies photo storybooks. For these, as a cost-saving measure, existing stuffed toys were modified by the Workshop, with new Muppet features and an armature. The 1980 LIFEmagazine cover depicting Miss Piggy's run for the presidency required a host of background frogs as reporters, security, and aides. Multiple 1977Fisher-PriceKermit dolls were purchased and modified by removing the collar and adding new eyes and an armature. For Muppet Babies' Classic Children's Tales, a similar approach was used for the goat in an adaptation of Heidi, altered from a Gund toy.